Comfort and Trust
by Kalira69
Summary: Inuyasha lets himself accept comfort offered in the wake of a rough battle.


"Are- Are you okay, Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice was soft and ever-so-slightly wavery, and Inuyasha's heart hurt a little at the sound.

"Keh." Inuyasha fidgeted, flinching briefly as he pushed against his right elbow. His shattered bones were still mending. "I'm fine. Don't fuss." he said gruffly, turning his head to look up at her.

Kagome smiled slightly and brushed his hair out of his eyes with one gentle hand. "I always worry about you, though." she said softly.

Inuyasha shifted again, frowning. "You don't need to. I'm plenty strong." he reminded, jaw set. "If I needed to I could get up and protect you now." he added, flushing a bit and clearing his throat.

"I know." Kagome soothed, resting her hand on his cheek. "And I'm grateful. But you don't have to right now. Just rest, okay?"

Inuyasha grumbled wordlessly, but he couldn't resist tipping his head just the slightest bit into her hand. Kagome stroked his cheek, thumb trailing beside his eye in a way that would have made him recoil from anyone else, coming so near such a vulnerable spot. But . . . not Kagome. She might _sit_ him or slap him but she would never _truly_ hurt him.

He swallowed, looking away.

Kagome shifted beside him with a quiet rustle of fabric, and he sighed shallowly. He took a deep breath of her scent before she moved away, closing his eyes to savour it - soft and sweet, like her, faintly flowery but mostly just clean and warm.

"Would you-" Kagome began, then stopped. "Um."

Inuyasha looked up at her again, surprised.

"Would you like to rest your head in my lap?" she asked, her cheeks red. "Only . . . the floor can't be very comfortable." she added hastily.

It was far from the most uncomfortable thing Inuyasha's head had rested on, even when his body was battered and half-broken, but- He nodded stiffly, one ear flicking. "If you. . . If you don't mind?" he said, telling himself it was okay to let her flutter over him when he hurt, when it was what she _wanted_ to do. Wasn't it? She trusted he was strong, he could protect her, so would it hurt anything to . . . to let her comfort him a little?

Kagome smiled brightly, like he had given _her_ something by asking, and helped him settle his head on her thighs, stroking his hair with a light touch. Her scent surrounded him, and he took it in with pleasure, able to mostly ignore the ache in his ribs as he breathed.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and sighed quietly, going limp. Kagome gently scratched through his hair, and he heard himself make a tiny whining sound as her wrist brushed one of his ears. He strangled it down, but not quite quickly enough.

Kagome gave a little startled 'oh' and Inuyasha's cheeks heated as he ducked his chin towards his chest.

He thought she'd stop - at least withdraw her hands even if she didn't push him away from her - but then she delicately rubbed her fingers at the base of his ear. Ever-so-gently, she brushed her thumb over the thin fur on the back, then folded down the tip with a light touch. She rubbed there, the tender flesh of his ear between her soft fingertips, then stroked down again to return to rubbing gently at the base, under his hair.

Inuyasha went to mush, a soft sound of want and pleasure catching in his throat as he nudged his head more firmly into her lap, tilting his head and all but pressing his nose against her belly.

"I- Inuyasha?" Kagome said tentatively, her fingers stilling where they curled at the base of his ear, and Inuyasha whined before he could stop himself. "Is- Um. Is this okay?" she asked.

Inuyasha rubbed his nose against her belly, not quite a nod, and inhaled deeply again.

Kagome's fingers twitched, and he gave a slightly softer whine, coaxing more than complaining. Even if she didn't understand it properly, Kagome gently returned to the soft strokes, not quite scratching through his hair at the base of his ear, lightly pinching and not quite pulling as her fingers trailed up towards the point.

No one had stroked Inuyasha's hair or petted his ears since he was very, very small; he had faint memories of his mother's soft hands, and even fainter ones of clawed fingers ruffling through his thick mane. Neither of the pairs in his memory were like Kagome's hands, so delicate but still strong and capable, or the tender caresses she gave. Inuyasha suppressed the impulse to squirm under her affectionate touch.

"Thank you, Inuyasha." Kagome said, and Inuyasha gave an interrogative whine before he could think better of it and speak instead. Kagome only smiled warmly when he looked up at her, though. "For- For letting me close." she explained. She bent and kissed his temple, and Inuyasha's toes curled.

He reached up and wound a curl of Kagome's unruly hair around one finger, and she smiled at him again, her cheeks rosy pink. And even when Inuyasha let his hand rest against her collarbone to support his tired arm, her hair still twined around his fingers, she didn't so much as shiver with apprehension, despite the vicious claws at her throat.

Inuyasha realised he hadn't even expected it any more, not from her - Kagome had not been frightened of him in over a year, even when his youkai blood rose hot and swept away most of his mind.

The exhausted muscles of Inuyasha's arm gave way, and he let his hand slide down Kagome's chest to rest in her lap. He tipped his head, wincing at the strain against his back, and closed his eyes as he tucked his face against her belly again. The rest of their little pack was outside, keeping watch, and kami knew the kit'd shriek fit to raise hell if something came up on them strong enough that he'd have to get up and deal with it, so Inuyasha let himself blot out the world with Kagome's scent and her touch.

Just for a little while.

"Thanks, K'gome." he said against her belly, probably not really understandable, and Kagome stroked a hand through his hair, then again as she hummed softly, not quite singing. Her fingers settled at one of his ears, gently rubbing the tender spot, and Inuyasha whined under the touch, feeling heavy and content. Cared for.


End file.
